A taking lens consists of first to third lens groups. The second lens group is held in a lens frame that is coupled through an arm to a supporting shaft, and is able to rotate about the supporting shaft, to move the second lens group in a circular direction in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the taking lens. As a movable lens barrel retreats into a camera body, the lens frame rotates to remove the second lens group from an inserted position inserted in an optical path of the taking lens to a removed position set out of the optical path. The arm is provided with an actuator that causes the lens frame to move in a lengthwise direction of the arm. Because the movement in the circular direction includes a component that is perpendicular to the lengthwise movement of the arm, it is possible to move the lens frame and thus the second lens group in any directions in the perpendicular plane to the optical axis, in order to cancel a deviation of an optical image that result from a camera shake.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A camera comprising: a camera body; a lens optical system having a plurality of lens elements; a lens moving device for moving at least one of said plurality of lens elements along an optical axis of said lens optical system, toward an object side to elongate a total length of said lens optical system in a lens protruding operation, or toward an image side to shorten the total length of said lens optical system in a lens collapsing operation; a shake detection device for detecting a shake of said camera; a movable device movable in a perpendicular plane to the optical axis of said lens optical system, said movable device being used for compensating for a deviation of an optical image formed through said lens optical system, the deviation resulting from the shake of said camera; a first control device for moving said movable device to an inserted position inserted in an optical path of said lens optical system with said lens protruding operation, or to a removed position out of said optical path with said lens collapsing operation; and a second control device that calculates an amount and direction of movement of said movable device necessary for canceling the deviation of said optical image when said shake detection device detects the shake, said second control device causing said movable device to move by said calculated amount in said calculated direction; wherein the first control device is connected to the camera body and the second control device is connected to the first control device or the camera body, wherein said movable device compensating for the deviation constitutes a component of said lens optical system in said inserted position and said second control device comprises a linear displacing device for displacing said movable device linearly in a radial direction to a circular direction about a pivotal point that is located outside said lens optical system.
2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said movable “device is a compensation lens, and said second control device” comprises a rotary displacing device for displacing said compensation lens in said circular direction about said pivotal point that is located outside said lens optical system.
3. A camera as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said rotary displacing device doubles as said first control device.
4. A camera as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said rotary displacing device comprises a mechanism for rotating a lens frame of said compensation lens about a supporting shaft that extends in parallel to the optical axis of said lens optical system, and said linear displacing device comprises a mechanism for elongating or shortening an arm that couples said lens frame to said supporting shaft.
5. A camera comprising: a lens optical system having a plurality of lens elements; a lens moving device for moving at least one of said plurality of lens elements along an optical axis of said lens optical system, toward an object side to elongate a total length of said lens optical system in a lens protruding operation, or toward an image side to shorten the total length of said lens optical system in a lens collapsing operation; a shake detection device for detecting a shake of said camera; a movable device movable in a perpendicular plane to the optical axis of said lens optical system, said movable device being used for compensating for a deviation of an optical image formed through said lens optical system, the deviation resulting from the shake of said camera; a control device for moving said movable device to an inserted position inserted in an optical path of said lens optical system with said lens protruding operation, or to a removed position out of said optical path with said lens collapsing operation and that calculates an amount and direction of movement of said movable device necessary for canceling the deviation of said optical image when said shake detection device detects the shake, said control device causing said movable device to move by said calculated amount in said calculated directions, wherein said movable device compensating for the deviation constitutes a component of said lens optical system in said inserted position and said control device comprises a linear displacing device for displacing said movable device linearly in a radial direction to a circular direction about a pivotal point that is located outside said lens optical system.
6. A camera as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said control device comprises a rotary displacing device for displacing said movable device in said circular direction about said pivotal point that is located outside said lens optical system.
7. A camera as claimed in claim 6 , wherein said rotary displacing device comprises a mechanism for rotating a lens frame of said movable device about a supporting shaft that extends in parallel to the optical axis of said lens optical system and said linear displacing device comprises a mechanism for elongating or shortening an arm that couples said lens frame to said supporting shaft.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 24, 2006
November 17, 2009
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